(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid developer and a developer cartridge.
(ii) Related Art
Methods for visualizing image information via the formation of an electrostatic image, such as electrophotography, have been used in various fields. In electrophotography, a latent image (i.e., an electrostatic latent image) is formed on an image carrier in charging and exposure steps (i.e., a latent-image forming step; the electrostatic latent image is developed with an electrostatic-image developer (hereinafter, referred to simply as “developer”) including an electrostatic-image developing toner (hereinafter, referred to simply as “toner”) in a developing step; and the developed toner image is visualized in transfer and fixing steps. Examples of developers that may be used in dry development include a two-component developer composed of a toner and a carrier and a one-component developer composed of only a magnetic toner or a non-magnetic toner.
Liquid developers used in wet development are produced by dispersing toner particles in an insulating carrier liquid. Known examples of such liquid developers include a liquid developer that includes a volatile carrier liquid in which toner particles each including a thermoplastic resin are dispersed and a liquid developer that includes a low-volatile carrier liquid in which toner particles each including a thermoplastic resin are dispersed.